Mike Penner/Christine Daniels

About a year ago, veteran L.A. Times sports writer, Mike Penner, announced in his column he would be taking a short break, and then return as Christine Daniels.  He had intended to get a sex change, it appears, so he decided to live as Christine before surgery, something that is always recommended before such surgeries are performed.

The L.A. Times not only accepted him with open arms, continuing his column without pause, but also actually went out of their way to publicize this a little.   Readership is money, so why not?

Well, a year later, Mike Penner is back and Christine Daniels is no more.  And Mike is writing sports columns, just as Christine had done, and as old Mike had done before her.

I think the story here is a happy one.  Mike went through whatever Mike needed to go through to try and do what we all need to try and do:  become a happier, healthier human being.  That voyage took Mike to Christine, and now has taken him back to Mike.  All the while, the L.A. Times accepted him, paid him, employed him, and supported him.  No one came unglued (oh, I am sure that Right-Wing Fundamentalists all over the place came unglued, but those assholes come unglued if it rains, so who gives a fuck?), and Mike was allowed to take his voyage on his terms.  He did his job, he did it well, and he didn’t get fired or hassled.

Imagine that.

Comments

[LS]

I am happy that you wrote this with taste and respect. Mike has certainly been going through one of his life's most difficult journeys, and is still going through it I am guessing. Most of us would be able to do this with only our immediate communities watching and judging. I cannot imagine having to do this with the entire world watching and judging.